How To - Pizza Dough

There are heaps of pre-made pizza bases available at your local supermarket, in varying degrees of taste and quality, but I've always felt it is satisfying to make your own from scratch.  To be honest, I do buy pre-made pizza bases every now and then when I want a quick meal but it's just not the same.  This pizza dough can be frozen for up to three months so I've decided to make a double batch (enough for 6 bases) so I always have some at hand.  Oh, and one other thing, making your own pizza dough is A LOT cheaper. 

What you'll need: 

• 4 cups plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 7g yeast
• pinch sugar
• 1 1/4 cups warm water
• 50mL olive oil, plus extra to brush
• 1 small bowl
• 2 large bowls
•  a fork
• pastry brush
• a round-bladed knife
• Clean, dry work surface
• Cling wrap

Step 1 - Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl, make a well in the centre and set aside.

Step 2 - Combine yeast, sugar and warm water in the small bowl, lightly whisk with a fork and set aside for 5 minutes until foaming.  Add yeast mixture to the flour along with the oil and use the round-bladed knife to combine, using cutting motions.  

Step 3 - When mostly combined, use your hands to form into a ball and turn out onto a lightly floured work surface.  Knead for 10 minutes. 

Step 4 - Brush the other large bowl with olive oil and place the kneaded dough into the bowl. Brush top and sides of the dough with olive oil, cover bowl with cling wrap and set aside in a warm, draught-free place for at least 30 minutes, until dough has doubled in size.

Step 5 - Preheat oven to 230°C.

Step 6 - Cut dough into three equal portions.  Roll out to desired size and thickness on a lightly floured surface.  Transfer base to a lightly greased pizza tray/stone and top with desired toppings.

Step 7 - Bake for 12-15 minutes, until base is crispy.  

Notes:

This recipe makes 3 bases.


If freezing bases, wrap individual portions well in cling wrap at Step 6 and freeze.  Dough can be frozen for up to 3 months.  To thaw, remove from freezer 24 hours prior to use and defrost in fridge.  Two hours before use, remove from fridge and set aside to allow to come to room temperature.  Continue from Step 6.


For something a bit special, infused oils, herbs or even finely shredded cheese can be added to the dough.  Infused oils should be added in place of olive oil whereas cheese and herbs should be kneaded into the dough.

How To - Prep Steamed Puddings

Steamed Puddings are something I have completely fallen in love with over the past year.  My experience so far has only been with a Christmas Pudding using fruit mince, but I feel I may branch out come winter and try some other delicious steamed puddings.  Whatever their purpose, these detailed instructions will ensure your pudding basin is well prepared every time.

What you'll need:

• Ceramic pudding basin, tea cups, mugs or ramekins
• Pudding mixture
• Softened butter
• Pastry brush
• Baking paper
• Foil
• Twine
• Large saucepan with well fitting lid (baking tray for smaller puddings)
• Saucer (tea towel for smaller puddings)
• Water

Step 1

Step 1 - Brush your basin well with butter, ensuring you brush right to the top.  Cut two circles of baking paper the same size as the base of the basin and lay them one on top of the other, brushing well with butter after each.  Fill basin 3/4 of the way with pudding mixture

Step 2

Step 2

Step 2 - Tear off a sheet each of baking paper and foil that are even length, lie one on top of the other and make a 1-2 cm pleat through the middle.  Place over the basin, foil side up, and fold around sides.

Step 3

Step 3

Step 3 - Take the twine and cut a length that will more than wrap twice around your basin when folded in half (the twine, not the basin).  Wrap around top of basin, under lip if the basin has one, pull firmly, tie off and wrap back around to starting point.  Knot well.

Step 4

Step 4

Step 4 - To make the handle, take the length of twine trailing the knot and throw it loosely across the centre of the basin.  Tie off firmly on twine wrapped around basin.  Trim excess foil and baking paper.


Step 5 - For large puddings, place saucer in the bottom of the pot and place the basin on top.  Fill pot with water until it has risen to 3/4 up the sides of the basin, or just below the paper and foil.  Place over medium heat and rapidly simmer for about 3-6 hours (depending on size of pudding).  Top up water as necessary. 
For smaller puddings, place tea towel in the bottom of the baking tray and distribute tea cups or ramekins on top, about six per tray.  Pour water into tray until it has risen to about halfway up the tea cups or ramekins.  Bake at 180°C for 1-2 hours. 


To check if puddings are ready, remove dressing and insert a skewer into the middle.  If it comes out clean, puddings are ready.  If not, re-dress basin from step 2 and place back into pot to continue cooking.

How To - Couscous

Couscous should be a staple in every household as it is quick, easy and versatile.  The reason I am doing a couscous how to is because the packets I buy do not actually tell you to cook it in the simplest way.  They say to boil it, like you would rice, but read on and you will see why couscous is the quickest carb to whip up with dinner.

What you'll need:

• A heatproof bowl
• A lid or plate
• Couscous
• Boiling water
• A fork
• Seasoning

Couscous Salad

Step 1 - Pour 1 cup couscous into the bowl.  Season with a good whack of salt, or you can use something like chicken stock, beef stock or Moroccan seasoning.  

Step 2 - Pour in 1 cup boiling water, stir with a fork, just to make sure all the couscous is coated, then pop the lid or plate on top of the bowl.

Step 3 - Stand for 3-5 minutes, remove lid and fluff with the fork to separate the grains.

And that is it!  Amounts can vary, just make sure you use equal quantities of couscous and boiling water.  Also, couscous is quite bland so make sure you are either heavy handed with the seasoning or serve it with something very flavoursome.

How To - Savoury Shortcrust Pastry

Shortcrust pastry is great for savoury and sweet pies, tarts and other tasty treats.  This is a basic savoury shortcrust that can be used in a multitude of ways.

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups flour

125g butter, chilled and cubed

1 egg yolk

2-3 tbs chilled water

Step 1 - Place flour and butter in a large bowl.  Rub between finger tips until mixture resembles bread crumbs.  

Step 2 - Make a well in the centre and add egg yolk and water.  Combine with a butter knife until dough just comes together.

Step 3 - Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until mixture has formed a smooth dough.  Roll into a ball, flatten slightly, wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

And that is basically it!  What you cook will determine what shape and thickness you roll your dough to and at what temperature it is cooked. 

Pictured here as base for Asparagus Tart

Tips for working with pastry:

• Temperature and humidity will affect the dough.  Pastry works best when cold, which is why the recipe calls for chilled butter and chilled water.  Cold hand and bowl will also produce a more superior result.  
• Work quickly!!  This will prevent the butter from getting too warm and it will also prevent the glutens in the flour from developing too quickly.
• Warm pastry means melted butter.  If the butter is too warm, you will not achieve the desired texture.  This is why it is important to place the pastry in the freezer for 15 minutes before placing in a hot oven.
• When rubbing the butter into the flour, lift and drop from a height as you rub.  It will assist in aerating the dough.
• After kneading, the dough must be relaxed in order to allow the glutens to react with the water.  Wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This will create a beautiful elastic dough that will easily roll out.
• Unbaked pastry that is firmly wrapped can be kept in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.  Bring to room temperature before rolling out and baking.
• When baking, preheat a tray with the oven and place the tart case on this when you are ready to bake.  This will allow the base of the tart to cook evenly.

How to - Segment an Orange

Oranges. We all love them right?  They're available all year round and in hundreds of varieties, all with their individual flavour and uses.  Great for juicing, desserts and both sweet and savoury salads, among many other things.

Oranges are best known for their Vitamin C content, which assists in warding of colds and boosts the immune system

No matter what variety of oranges you eat, or what their use is in your cooking, segmented oranges are far more aesthetically pleasing as well as being more textually palatable.  Segmenting your oranges also removes all of the bitter pith and the tough membrane, leaving only the delicious flesh.  

To segment oranges, you'll need: 

• Oranges
• A paring knife (small, sharp, non-serrated knife)
• A wooden chopping board

Step 1 - Top and tail your orange then place it upright so you have a stable surface to work from.

Step 2 - Run your knife between the flesh and pith, following the curve of the orange. Carefully remove all skin and pith, without taking too much of the flesh off.

Step 3 - Holding the orange in your hand, remove each segment by slice down the side of each segment, as close to the membrane as possible.  Set the segment aside, rotate the orange and continue until all segments have been removed.


Voila! It takes a little practice at first, but doesn't everything?  

How to - Clean Chopping Boards

Cleaning a chopping board may seem like a pretty silly 'how to' topic, but it is something people always ask me about.

I have a strict WOODEN CHOPPING BOARD ONLY policy as wooden is the best option for cleanliness, safety and hygiene.  Also, if like me you spend a lot of money on a good, sharp chefs knife you don't want to ruin it chopping on glass or plastic.  A sharp knife will shave the surface off any board and given the option of having wood, plastic or glass shavings in my food, I'm pretty sure I know which one I'd choose.

Glass and plastic chopping boards are often heralded as the more hygienic option and a way to prevent cross contamination and salmonella poisoning but honestly, there are HEAPS of ways to contract food poisoning and if you're not careful, these surfaces can breed more bacteria than wood ever would.   I once stayed at a friends house for a few days and while there, I saw the glass chopping board being used to cut, raw and cooked chicken, fruits and veggies, bread and pastries, beef and fish.  Not once did I see this board get washed.  Needless to say I was very careful about what I ate. 

Wooden chopping boards have a natural tannin in them which acts as an antibacterial agent and will assist in killing most bacteria on the board.  And then there are the people who say 'but if I wash the wooden chopping bard after cutting chicken, the hot water could cook the chicken on the board.'  Yeah it could.  This could also happen with a plastic chopping board, it's all about the method of cleaning you use.

If you do really feel you need to have separate chopping boards for fish, raw meat, fruit and vegetables, have several wooden chopping boards that are all clearly labelled.  I only have one wooden chopping board that I wash well after each use and I have never had issues with cross contamination or food poisoning.  

So, how do you clean a wooden chopping board?

1. Rinse the chopping board under cold water, using your hand to brush off any stuborn debris.  Turn water off.
2. Take a soapy scourer and clean chopping board, scrubbing well over to ensure all of the chopping board has had a good wash.
3. Rinse suds off under hot running water.
4. About once a month, use half a lemon to rub a few tablespoons of coarse salt into your chopping board and let it stand for a few minutes.  This will assist in removing any colours or odours from the board.
5. NEVER submerge your chopping board in water.

And that's my spiel on chopping boards.  I hope it was informative but feel free to ask any questions if you have them.

How To - Joint a Rabbit

Jointing a rabbit, or any animal, is really daunting the first time you attempt to do it. It is however, something that is relatively easy to master.  It can be a little off putting when you're presented with a carcass that still has head and some organs intact, but really, this is where food comes from and we all know it, as much as sometimes we don't like to think about it too much.  

The first time you attempt to joint the rabbit, take your time with it.  Have a good look at it and become familiar with where the meat, fat and bones are located. Think about where you are going to cut before you pick up your knife and remember, it doesn't matter if you make mistakes or don't make clean cuts the first few times as practice makes perfect! If you want to cook with rabbit but do not want to joint it, ask your butcher to joint it when you buy it.  A good butcher will be happy to oblige and will not charge you for it! 

WARNING: This post contains, what some people might consider to be, graphic images.  If you are squeemish, please navigate to another page now.


What you'll need:

• A rabbit
• A wooden chopping board
• A sharp knife
• A sharp pair of kitchen shears/scissors
• A bowl to place the pieces of meat

Step 1 - Place the rabbit on the chopping board, take the knife and remove the head from the carcass.  Depending on what you are cooking you can either keep or discard the head.  For stews, keep the rabbit, brown it off with the other pieces and let it cook in the stew as it will impart a lot of flavour.  Discard before serving.  


Step 2 - Remove the offal.  Usually, the liver, heart and kidneys will be present.  The first two can be easily removed by hand.  The kidneys should be cut out with a knife, keeping the fat that surrounds them intact.  Offal can be discarded if or used at your discretion. 


Step 3 - Place the rabbit on it's back and starting from the lower end, cut up one side of the backbone until you are level with the top of the hind legs.  Cut around the hind leg, slicing through to the joint.  Pull the leg back towards the chopping board and cut through the joint, severing the leg from the carcass.  Repeat with the other hind leg. 


The rabbit I was using was quite large and had a lot of meat on it so I decided to cut the hind legs into two pieces.

Step 4 - Cut all the way along one side of the backbone, using the knife or shears, which ever you find easier. 

Step 5 - Turn the two carcass pieces over so the fleshy side is up and remove the fore legs.  Then, score the flesh in about 2-3 places, depending on the size of the rabbit.  Evenly place these score lines as they will be the places you cut through and you want to end up with 3-4 pieces of equal size.

And that's it!!  Here are the images, the order of which correspond with the instructions above.

How To - Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

Making pastry is not something I enjoy, however, this recipe is so easy that I don't seem to mind as much anymore.  This is my fail safe as I've made it a few times, and while it can be a bit delicate, it always produces a sweet, short, buttery pastry that crumbles in your mouth, not in your hand. 

Photos will be posted soon!

Ingredients

2 cups plain flour

3/4 cup icing sugar

160g chilled butter, cubed

1 egg yolk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbs chilled water

Step 1 - Place flour, icing sugar and butter in a large bowl.  Rub between finger tips until mixture resembles bread crumbs.  
Step 2 - Make a well in the centre and add egg yolk, vanilla and water.  Combine with a butter knife until dough just comes together.
Step 3 - Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until mixture has formed a smooth dough.  Roll into a ball, flatten slightly, wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

And that is basically it!  What you cook will determine what shape and thickness you roll your dough to and at what temperature it is cooked. 

Pictured here as base for Rich Chocolate Tart

Tips for working with pastry:

• Temperature and humidity will affect the dough.  Pastry works best when cold, which is why the recipe calls for chilled butter and chilled water.  Cold hand and bowl will also produce a more superior result.  
• Work quickly!!  This will prevent the butter from getting too warm and it will also prevent the glutens in the flour from developing too quickly.
• Warm pastry means melted butter.  If the butter is too warm, you will not achieve the desired texture.  This is why it is important to place the pastry in the freezer for 15 minutes before placing in a hot oven.
• When rubbing the butter into the flour and sugar, lift and drop from a height as you rub.  It will assist in aerating the dough.
• After kneading, the dough must be relaxed in order to allow the glutens to react with the water.  Wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This will create a beautiful elastic dough that will easily roll out.
• Unbaked pastry that is firmly wrapped can be kept in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.  Bring to room temperature before rolling out and baking.
• When baking, preheat a tray with the oven and place the tart case on this when you are ready to bake.  This will allow the base of the tart to cook evenly.

How To - Deseed Tomatoes

Tomato Seeds.  They're messy, tough, bitter and at times, downright unwanted! I often deseed my tomatoes, for recipes like my vegetable sambal or chilli jam. There are two quick ways to deseed tomatoes and here they are:

1. Halve tomatoes and scoop out seeds with a spoon.  While this is quick and easy, it can bruise the delicate flesh of the tomatoes.

2.  Quarter tomatoes and very carefully run a sharp knife between the seeds and the flesh.  This method is a little more delicate, however, it will preserve the integrity of the tomato.  This is the method I use.

And it's that simple!  So, when you need to deseed tomatoes for dips, salads, sauces or just because you prefer them that way, you can choose either of these super simple methods!  

How To - Blanch Tomaotes

Blanching is a quick way to par cook a tomato as well as an easy method to remove the skin.  As with most things, it can be a bit daunting the first time you try to do it, however it is a relatively simple process.  

What you'll need:

• tomatoes
• a pot of boiling water
• a bowl of cold water and ice
• Slotted spoon

Step 1 - Remove the stalk, stem, leaves and core of the tomatoes. When coring, remove the core and the tomato flesh just below the surface.  Do not cut too deep into the tomato.

Step 2 - Using your slotted spoon, gently lower tomatoes into the pot of boiling water.

Step 3 - Watch tomatoes and when the skin splits remove immediately and plunge the tomatoes into the iced water.  This can take up to 60 seconds.  When I blanched my tomatoes, one took 14 seconds and the other took 47 seconds.

Step 4 - Leave tomatoes in the iced water until they are cool enough to handle.  Using your hands, gently push/peel the skin off the tomato.  Ensure you take care during this process as the tomato may still be hot under the flesh.

After blanching, tomatoes can be deseeded if desired. 

Good tips, good tricks.

When beating egg whites to stiff peaks there is a quick test to tell whether or not they are ready.  Simply tip the bowl upside down over your head!

When egg whites are ready, you can invert the bowl and they will stay perfectly in place.  If they start to slide around as you tip the bowl they need a little more beating.

How to - Quinelle

A quinelle is a technique used in restaurants to present mousse, ice cream, sorbet, mascarpone, whipped cream, etc.  It is an elliptical shape made by passing the mixture back and forth between two spoons.  It takes a little practice to get perfect (I'm not quite there yet!) but is an easy way to add a classy touch to a dish when presenting it to friends and family.

What you'll need:

• Hot water
• Two dessert spoons of equal size and shape
• Whatever it is you're quinelling

This is difficult to describe so here goes...

Step 1 - Dip spoons into hot water, remove and shake off excess.  Do not dry spoons as the water residue will assist in achieving the desired effect. 

Step 2 - Holding a spoon in each hand, take a spoon full on the mixture and then run the empty spoon on top of the full spoon from back to front, scooping up the mixture as you drag it through.  Repeat a few times, until you have a smooth, even, three sided shape (as pictured) and carefully drop in onto the plate.

Mascarpone

Mascarpone is an Italian cheese that is used in both sweet and savoury dishes.  It is similar in flavour to cream but is much thicker and is used in many recipes including savoury dishes like risotto and pasta and as a finishing touch or component of a dessert.

There are two main ways I use mascarpone. The first is to mix it with double cream, vanilla and a little icing sugar and spread it over cakes, as a filling in pavlova or anywhere whipped cream would normally be used.  However, my favourite way to use mascarpone is to flavour it and serve with desserts.  

Some of the flavourings I frequently use include coffee, vanilla bean, chocolate, mint and lemon or lime (both the juice and the rind).  When flavouring Mascarpone, start with a small amount of the flavouring ingredient, mix well and taste.  Adjust based on the dessert and desired effect, like whether or not the mascarpone is part of the dish or just an accompaniment.  Oh, and another good thing is that because it is firm, it's really easy to quinelle!   

The following is a rough guide per 200g Mascarpone:

• Vanilla - 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• Coffee -  1 double ristretto shot and 1/2 tbs icing sugar
• Chocolate - 50g melted chocolate
• Lemon or Lime - zest of 1/2 a lemon or 1 lime with 1/2 tbs juice
• Mint - 1 tbs finely chopped mint